Patent GB-617148-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to knitting machines
IPC: D04B15/54
Filed: 1944-07-05
Abstract: 617,148. Knitting-machines. SCOTT & WILLIAMS, Inc. July 5, 1944, No. 12848. Convention date, Oct. 1, 1942. [Class 74(ii)] A knitting-machine comprises a series of needles; a plurality of means for presenting yarn thereto; and yarn changing devices comprising a main selector element. a pattern device for moving the element to various positions to determine yarn changes, and an auxiliary selector element controllable at will either by the main element, or independently, to effect auxiliary yarn changes. Six yarn feeding fingers 14, associated with individual clamps and cutters arranged in upper and lower banks, 163. 163<1>, are supported in guides 12 through which they can slide, being at the same time partially rotated about their axis by the interaction of pins 13 which they carry and cam slots 20 in a plate 13. In addition, the guides 12 are supported on a bracket 8 which can be oscillated about a vertical axis to swing the ends of all the fingers towards or away from the needles. The upper five fingers feed inelastic yarns and are slid by levers 16 rocked, through followers 32, by cams 44 journalled on a shaft 40. The lowest finger feeds an elastic yarn, to be laid between the fabric loops and is slid by a differently shaped cam 45, journalled on shaft 40 and acting through linkwork 30 28, 26 and a flexible link 24. A seventh cam, Fig. 15, also on shaft 40, oscillates the bracket 8 through linkwork 172, 10. The cams 44, 45 are secured to ratchets 42 having alternate high and low teeth and to discs 46 having projections 58 which operate individually the yarn clamps and cutters. The seventh cam is secured to a ratchet 72 having teeth of even height. The ratchets are stepped around, to change, clamp and cut the yarns, by pawls 66 on an oscillating frame 60 controlled by selector mechanism comprising a slide 80 and a relatively slidable auxiliary slide 88. Five high steps 82 on the main slide, when in the paths of pawls associated with cams 44. render the pawls inoperative; parts 86 allow the pawls to act on high teeth 48 of their ratchets; and notches 84 allow the pawls to engage all teeth. High steps 96, 98 on slide 88 render inoperative the pawls associated with the elastic thread finger and the bracket 8; when at an intermediate level the first of these two pawls will engage only high teeth of its ratchet; and when in notches 102, 104 (when they are coincident), will engage all teeth. Slide 80 is moved to the left, against the action of a spring 106 by lugs 118 on a pattern chain 120, acting through linkwork including lever 110. Slide 88 is moved to the left relative to slide 80, against the action of springs 130, 94, by other lugs 152 on the chain, acting through connections which include a spring 134 so that the main slide 80 may move to the right although slide 88 is being urged to the left. The follower 32 of a finger going into action rides off a high pawl 52 of its cam 44 down to a low level and up again to an intermediate level: this leads to the necessary movement of the finger in introducing the new thread. A finger is brought out of action by its follower siding up to a high part of the cam: the associated disc 46 operates the corresponding clamp and cutter at the appropriate instant. The movement of the inelastic yarn feeders are fundamentally as in Specifications 301,350 and 301,360, [both in Class 74(ii)]. The elastic yarn can be introduced at any time by moving the slide 88 to the left, to align slots 102 and 104; and may be removed by a repetitioin of this movement after the slide 88 has been allowed to return to the right. Each clamp and cutter comprises a fixed knife 166, movable knife and clamp 164 and fixed clamping blade 168. A wire loop 182, attached to the latch guard 180, engages the yarns where necessary and ensures that they will be introduced below the needle hooks. The sinkers have humps 198 which raise the loops held by the needles and accelerate the seizure of the ingoing yarn. Extended sinker noses 200 oppose the tendency of the humps 206 of the doubleended needles to pull down the loops (as the needles are picked down into action in the formation of heels and toes) into such position that they might be pierced by the advancing sinkers. Specification 617,232 also is referred to.